STATEWIDE TRANSIT LINKS

From 1920 until 1936, the Connecticut Co. operated nearly all local railways and buses within the state. The Connecticut Co. was owned by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, which operated nearly all main line passenger trains within the state. One company was thus able to control nearly the entire public transportation system within Connecticut. During that period, the Connecticut Co. also leased all lines owned by Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. But in 1936 after the Connecticut Co. was failing to make its lease payments to Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co., the courts allowed Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. to repossess the leased lines.

In 1976, the Connecticut Co. became the state owned Connecticut Transit system, by then operating in just three major cities. Connecticut Transit now contracts with some private bus companies to operate service in additional cities.

Map showing electric interurban railways of the past, connecting various cities throughout southern New England.

Connecticut is a small densely populated state, extensively covered by public transportation. Many of the transit systems in Connecticut thus interconnect, enabling the possibility of long continuous interurban journeys exclusively using local transit.